San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-03-05
A PHANTOM BRIDE.
BY the Author of 1.-THE Ice OAR
NIvAL."

within his breast2 Answer me without
reservation, Dick"
mo, sir. That is, II am proud and
grateful for your confidence, however
tardily vouchsafed. The motive cause
concerns me not at all. Moreover"
"Ah, but it does, Dick-more nearly
than you, perhaps, conceive possible.
i require q service at your hands-a
service which, it seems to me, none
other is so well calculated to render as
yourself"
"Assuredly no man breathing could
show equal readiness in your cause,
sir" returned the young fellow warm
ly. "But protestations on my part,
hope and trust, are needless. You have
but to state your wishes. My part is
simply to accord unquestioning ODE
dience."
The old man vouchsafed no direct
reply, only, after brief pause, began
huskily: f .
"Dick, did you-did you chance to
notice anything singular in my demean-
or, any evidence of-of emotion on my
part whilst we listened before dinner
to-day to DR.. Hollingshead account
of-of the death at st. Georges Hos
pital of-of some wretched organ
grinder?"
Dick shook his head, and the baronet
proceeded, though not without visible
effort:
at is impossible to analyze or define
the subtle force of instinct, which
sometimes, with one lightning flash,
Unexpectedly reveals far more than
long years of logical arguments are, per-
haps, capable of conveying. Thus it
proved in my own case no later than to-
day. l listened attentively from the
first, for, alasl from the day knew my
own child destitute and a wanderer
upon the face of the earth, the misera-
bic fat of the lowest outcast, the mer-
est vagrant, has had for me a terrible
significance, an all-absorbing interest,
for still small voice seemed whisper
ing ever: Even to this complexion
may she - Marguerite's child have
come at lastp But from the moment,
Dick, that Hollingshead mentioned "a
child-a child bearing the surely I'M
common appellation of 'Greta,' my
heart gave a wild tumultuous bound.
Instinct did its instantaneous work,
and it was with difficulty / refrained
from springing to my feet crying wild
ly: Found, found My Marguerite's
childl' Dick"-and now indeed the
baronet rose up from his chair and with
somewhat unsteady gait approached
the bed-stead-''it is shell / cannot
doubt it. For moment thought that
in the first instance l might have been
misinformed respecting my daughters
death and that the-the miserable Or
gan-grinder the doctor described might
have been in truth my own lost and de-
graded girl. But, happily, this lowest
depth of humiliation | was not called
- II aNA II y.Nxr
fears were groundless. Yet, the child
the missing child-who played the tam
BOURNE! Great Heavenl Greta is
can be none other-than my own flesh
and blood, Greta's babe ny Margue-
rites grandchildl Oh, my boy, my boy,
thank God you cannot even family es-
like confessional
The baronet bowed his head on his
folded arms upon the footboard of the
bed, and for some moments the silence
remained unbrOken, save for the deep
stertorous breathing which all too elo-
quently betrayed the proud mans ago
ny of spirit.
AS for Dick, the mingled emotions
with which he listened to these words
may be more readily imagined than de-
scribed.
Whilst mentally revolving the course
1t now behooved him to pursue, the bar
onet recommended in calmer tones:
ITO you, Dick, it will no doubt seem
strange, yet, let me admit at once that
no shadow of doubt remains in my own
mind as to the identity of that missing
child. The strength of this mysterious
conviction amounts to absolute certain
ty. There can be but one vagrant Gre
ia, and henceforth she must be my
care, for Norman blood runs in her
veins. She is Marguerite's grandchild.
Dick, she must forthwith be found, if
spend the last coin in my Golfers, the
remnant OK nv declining vears-aYe.